Protégé
by jediserenity82
Summary: Twenty-one year old Thane Krios has accepted a contract that leads him Earth. While staking out his target, he stumbles upon thirteen-year-old Zara Shepard being held against her will by the very man he's been sent to kill. She's dirty, battered, and abused. Killing the leader of the Tenth Street Reds was no longer just about the contract; it was about saving her.
1. Chapter 1

**First of all, a HUGE thank you to the lovely Mordinette for accepting the role as beta for this story, for her helpful suggestions and encouragement!**

 **This story is slightly AU, so there will be several canon divergences. It starts off roughly 16 years before the Eden Prime wars begin, and will continue through to ME3.**

 **The first part of** **Protégé will have a slightly dark feel to it. While I don't give detailed descriptions of what happened, I'm going to place a possible trigger warning here for _implied_ physical and emotional torture and abuse. **

**I hope you guys will enjoy this story as much as I'm going to enjoy writing it! Let me know what you think :)**

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 **|| Protégé||**

 **[Part One]**

 **Chapter One**

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 **January 14, 2167**

Thane Krios had nearly declined this job, and in retrospect, perhaps he should have. When his client had approached him with the contract and he'd learned that the target was human, the immediate answer to form on his lips had been no. The first life he had ever taken had been a human, and as a twelve-year-old, he'd been sloppy. It had been merely by the grace of Arashu that he'd been left standing.

Now here he was, at age twenty-one, finally accepting to take the life of a human for the second time. Up until this point, he had turned down any contracts with human targets. It wasn't because humans proved to be particularly challenging. Their physiology wasn't much different than the Asari, or even his own people. It was simply that the first encounter had left a bad taste in his mouth.

Perhaps it had been the challenge the target represented that had drawn the drell to accept this contract as a chance to redeem himself. Or perhaps it was his dwindling credits since leaving the Compact and the hanars' payroll that had something to do with it.

Looking back now, though, he knew for certain that it was Arashu's divine intervention that had brought him to this unholy place.

He'd spent the last two weeks staking out the base of Xavier Schuyler, leader of the Detroit district of the Tenth Street Reds, and his target. His client was a former member of the gang who had grown a conscience over the years and had decided to leave. He had provided him with detailed layouts of the hideout and all of the information he had on Schuyler.

The despicable human and his lackeys were not only involved in drug trafficking, but also dealing in trafficking their own kind. Most seemed to be young females, ranging in various ages. It was taking every last ounce of his self control not to storm the hideout and kill every last one of Schuyler's men, but he had to bide his time.

Thane had made his camp across the street from the compound in an abandoned and run down apartment. It was cold and didn't provide much respite from the bone chilling Michigan winter, but it was the perfect vantage point. He could clearly see anyone who came and went into the complex from either of its two entrances; one in the front and the other on the side facing an alleyway.

Staying inconspicuous on a human dominated planet wasn't exactly easy. While there were a few aliens on Earth, drell were uncommon, even on the Citadel. He'd received quite a few stares when he'd arrived at the transit area. And drawing attention in his profession wasn't a good thing.

So, he moved at night, while the humans slept and the dirty streets were empty, sticking to the shadows and relying on stealth as he kept his sharp eye on his target.

And tonight, he would strike.

The Reds had been planning a raid on one of their rivals' warehouses for the past two weeks, giving Thane the perfect opportunity to infiltrate the compound and take out Schuyler with –hopefully - minimal problems. He'd lucked out when he'd overheard a group of his men discussing bodyguard duty for their demented leader.

Five human males would remain to guard Schuyler. Five humans total would be no match for Thane. He had the upper hand, biotics, and Amonkira on his side.

And they had no idea he was coming.

Thane was certain he wouldn't encounter any biotics tonight. Human biotics were extremely rare and were looked upon with prejudices.

He waited until two in the morning before he left his makeshift camp, once he was certain most of the group was gone. He knew from his time watching the compound that Schuyler had twenty men living with access to the base, and did a headcount as each of them left.

The light crunch of ice and snow beneath his boots seemed to echo around him as the harsh, icy night wind bit into his scales. In hindsight, he really should have procured more weather appropriate attire, as his leathers did nothing to block out the unforgiving cold. But with any luck, he'd be off this frozen wasteland by sunrise.

During his initial inspection, he found an access panel on the roof of the building that led to the air ducts. The emergency exit had been permanently sealed, but his lithe body would allow him to crawl effortlessly through the vents and locate his target.

Using the fire escape, Thane silently scaled the side of the building, sticking to the shadows as he climbed. When he reached the top, he pulled himself over and immediately found the grate and pried the latch open, eager to get out of the cold.

Before ascending into the vent, however, the drell paused, bowing his head and clasping his hands together in prayer, whispering the same words he uttered before beginning each hunt. "Amonkira, Lord of Hunters, grant that my hands be steady, my aim be true, and my feet swift."

He paused, glancing up into the cold darkness surrounding him. "And should the worst come to pass, grant me forgiveness."

Taking a deep breath, Thane slid carefully into the vent, making sure to close and lock the grate behind him. He wouldn't need to get out the same way he got in, anyway.

He was quiet as he crawled through the narrow ducts, listening for any signs of movement below him. So far, he could hear nothing but his own nearly inaudible breathing.

Coming up the first access point, he scanned the room, a frown creasing his brow. It was their security control room, with vid screens lining the walls, and a lone guard fast asleep, reclined back in his chair and feet propped up on the desk.

Thane wanted the recordings that were surely on that console to turn in to the local police so they could locate the poor children they'd taken. He would do whatever he could to get this organization shut down.

With practiced ease, he slid down from his hiding spot, his feet not making a sound as they touched the floor. The guard didn't move as Thane crept up behind him, easing his dagger from its sheath and cleanly sliding the blade across the man's jugular.

A strangled, gurgling sound escaped the man's lips as his body slipped from the chair and convulsed on the floor as his life slowly bled from him.

Stepping over the still writhing body, Thane activated his omni-tool, quickly bypassed the security passcode, and downloaded the recordings after short circuiting the cameras.

Curious despite himself, he started the first vid. He quickly wished he hadn't.

Rage boiled within him as he watched the disgusting ways these men handled the young girls, shuffling them around like play things. One girl in particular seemed to be the favorite, with bright, defiant blue eyes. These men would pay for the atrocities that had been committed here, and now he had evidence and locations of the victims to hand over to the police.

Feeling sick to his stomach, Thane closed the vid, unable to watch any longer. He forced the horrible images from his mind and refocused on his mission. There wasn't much he could do about the men who weren't here, but he could, and would, take out the ones who were.

Exiting the room, he could hear the loud rumblings of a vid screen further down the hallway. Following the sound, he came upon what appeared to be a rec room of sorts. Thane spotted two of Schuyler's men, their backs to him, cheering loudly over a game of biotiball. They had the sound up ridiculously loud, there was no way they could hear him as he stalked closer.

Thane felt his lips quirk in a cold smirk. A cocky bunch, this lot. They were arrogant enough to believe that they were perfectly safe; that no one in their right minds would consider infiltrating their base.

Typically, Thane would only be focused on his target. But after what he'd witnessed these men were capable of, he wasn't willing to leave them alive.

He didn't hesitate, moving swiftly before they noticed him, sliding his hand around to the first man's chin, and tightly gripping the back of his skull. It only took one sharp, quick twist of his wrists before the man crumpled to the ground.

The other thug went for his gun, and Thane immediately dropped to the ground, sending his leg out to sweep the man's feet out from under him. The man let out a startled yelp as the drell climbed quickly to his feet, his Locust in hand and aimed at the human's head, and pulled the trigger.

After making sure the men were dead, Thane slipped back into the shadows, making his way through the deserted hallways towards where he knew Schuyler's private quarters were nestled at the back of the base, quietly checking rooms for hostages as he went.

The acrid stench of gunpowder, stale sweat, and other body fluids assaulted the drell's nose as he slowed his pace, spotting the last two guards standing by Schuyler's door. Thane pressed his back against the wall, making sure to stay out of their sights.

"Where the fuck are Miller and Barnes? They won't answer their goddamned comms!" the one on the right snarled as he tried to raise his comrades again.

His partner chuckled. "You know they're watchin' the game, Holmes. They've got that shit up so loud they can't hear you."

Holmes snorted. "This is fuckin' bullshit, man. We should be out there takin' on those bastards with-"

Thane moved so fast that he was merely a blur of movement in their peripheral vision. He called upon his biotics, sending Holmes flying into his companion with such force it knocked them both into the wall.

With a groan, Holmes tried to climb off his partner and back to his feet, but the drell was on him, slamming a fist into the man's windpipe, crushing it with deadly precision. Thane tossed his lifeless body to the side and spun to the last remaining guard, whose eyes were wide with terror.

"Wh-what the fuck are you?" he tried to stammer as Thane's fingers dug roughly into his throat.

"Who I am matters naught," Thane responded, his voice deadly calm. "What matters is that your life is forfeit for the sins you've committed here."

He could feel the man trembling under his grip. "P-please, I-I don't wanna die."

"Perhaps you should have thought of that before allying yourself with evil." He tightened his hold on the man's throat, causing the man to gasp for air. "Now, tell me. Is Xavier Schuyler hiding behind these doors?"

The man was crying now, and Thane felt himself shutting down. He could not allow himself to feel sorry for this man, if you could even call him and his comrades that. The images he'd seen on those vids now permanently burned into his memory. He was done playing around.

Those girls, those _children_ deserved justice.

With a growl, Thane gripped the sides of the man's head and twisted.

He stepped back as the man fell to the floor and silence once again filled the hallway. He glanced towards the double doors, where Schuyler was hiding just beyond. Wiping the blood from his dagger on the leg of his pants, he slid it back into its sheath and stormed towards the door.

Perhaps this wasn't his cleanest job. He was used to doing things much more quietly, cleanly. But these men had started a fire within him that refused to die out until every last one of them were dead.

Thane wasn't exactly sure what he was expecting when he rushed through the double doors. A gun pointed at his face? An empty room? A startled crime boss?

What he hadn't expected to see, was a girl. With her hands and feet bound together, huddled against the wall in the far corner of the room. Even from his position from the doorway, he could see her startlingly blue eyes widen with fear.

The girl was a young human, maybe fourteen or fifteen years of age. Thane couldn't really tell. She was thin, unnaturally so. She was curled up into herself, her long, stringy dark hair covering most of her dirty, naked body.

 _Naked._

White hot anger surged through him. _The eyes,_ he realized, a sick feeling twisting in his gut. He recognized this girl; she was one of the ones who'd been tortured and mistreated in the vid.

He watched as those blue eyes widened further, just a fraction. It was enough to alert him to the other presence in the room.

Thane spun, pulling his SMG from his waist, to find Xavier Schuyler, gun trained at his head.

"Who the _fuck_ do you think you are?" Schuyler demanded, cocking his gun. "You think you can just march through my home and kill my men? I will fucking kill you for this."

The girl screamed through her gag as Schuyler pulled the trigger. His eyes widened when he realized his target was no longer there.

Thane advanced on the crime boss, catching his wrist in his hand and forcing it backwards with a _snap,_ causing him to drop his weapon and cry out at the sudden pain.

Moving behind him, the drell rammed the heel of his boot into the back of Schuyler's kneecap, forcing him down onto his knees. He struggled against him, but Thane kept his grip tight and pressed the barrel of the Locust against his temple.

"Go ahead and fuckin' kill me," he snarled. "I ain't gonna beg."

"Begging would be futile," Thane agreed, his breathing harsh from exertion. "Do you have any idea of the innocent lives you've destroyed for your greed? Do you have no remorse?"

"Fuck you!"

Disgusted, Thane shook his head. He glanced up, and met the eyes of the terrified young girl. "Look away," he ordered softly.

She did, and he didn't wait any longer. He pulled the trigger, and pushed the body of the disgusting human being away from him. He even added another bullet for good measure.

He was shaking with rage as he regarded the messy heap at his feet. Taking a deep breath to try to calm himself, he holstered his gun and took a tentative step towards the girl.

To her credit, she didn't shrink away from him as he expected, but he could see the pure terror written on her dirty face. He held up his hands in a placating manner. "I'm not going to hurt you," he assured her softly. "My name is Thane. I'm here to help you. Do you understand?"

She focused those bright blue eyes on him, searching his face for assurance. Finally, she nodded.

"I'm going to untie you and remove your gag." He kept his voice soft; the last thing he wanted to do was startle her further. "I'm going to need you to be quiet just in case anyone else has come back, okay?"

Again, she nodded.

He removed her restraints first, unsure if he trusted her not to scream. Not that he could blame her if she did. Finally, he pulled the gag from her mouth. "Can you tell me your name?" he asked, shrugging off his jacket and draping it over her body.

She simply stared at him, pupils blown wide with shock.

Thane pushed down his irritation. The poor child was frightened, he knew that. His anger was aimed at the man who'd done this to her. He sighed. "It's all right, you don't have to talk right now. But I need to get you out of here, okay?"

At her nod, Thane lifted her gently, making sure to keep his jacket wrapped tightly around her. He felt his anger return at how light she felt in his arms. He needed to get her to the hospital fast.

She clung to him as if he were her lifeline, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

When they were outside the compound, he just barely heard her whisper, "Zara. My name is Zara Shepard."


	2. Chapter 2

**First off, I want to apologize for the delay of this chapter. I ran into some medical issues that kept me from writing as much as I wanted. Nothing serious. I have moderate to severe carpal tunnel, and a little over a week ago I developed a knot on my left wrist. So you can imagine how painful it was to type. Not fun!**

 **A HUGE thank you to Mordinette for her amazing beta skills and encouragement! You ROCK!**

 **Thank you to everyone who has followed and favorited this story! A special thank you to those of you who took the time out to leave a review: Mordinette, Zulija, Breezy334, Fieryrose00, and BlackAngelRose13,! I appreciate it so much!**

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 **||Protégé||**

 **Chapter Two**

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If Thane had thought the looks he'd received when he'd first arrived on this planet had been bad, he'd been wrong. The horrified expressions that had been thrown his way as he ran through the hallways of the hospital carrying a battered human girl had been excruciating.

Once the nurses had realized he meant no harm, they'd quickly taken a protesting Zara from him and rushed her back to the examination room, and had even called the local police in. Thane had just finished speaking with a young lieutenant named Bailey, who had taken his statement, and was now reviewing the vid footage he'd taken from Schuyler's hideout.

The way Zara had clung to him when the nurses had tried to pry her away from him kept replaying in his mind. It made him uncomfortable. He was a killer; that poor child certainly didn't need to become attached to him.

Though, if he were completely honest with himself, he didn't want to let her out of his sight. She had been through so much, and already he felt responsible for her, though he knew he shouldn't. But he wanted her to be safe.

The head nurse had returned to question him about Zara's condition; where he had found her and what her situation had been. Thane could tell, though, that the woman already had a pretty good idea and hadn't particularly wanted to hear the details.

" _Once you've given your testimony, you're free to leave_ _,"_ she had told him before heading back to the examination room.

He'd wanted to leave; he knew he _should_ leave. He had no ties to this place and he had fulfilled his contract. But something was holding him here, making him want to stay just as much as he wanted to leave. Thane didn't know why, but he _had_ to make sure Zara was going to be all right.

Did she have family somewhere that had been searching for her? How long had she been locked up in that place? The things he'd seen in those vids…

Thane shook his head, fighting his eidetic memory as they threatened to possess him and force him to relive those horrible images. Solipsism could be a blessing when it came to his work, having the ability to easily memorize the layout of Schuyler's base for example, but at times like this, it was certainly a curse.

Thankfully, even in his exhaustion, he was able to fight it off. He ran a tired hand over his face, shifting his body in the uncomfortable plastic chair, and tried to remember the last time his body had actually slept more than an hour at a time. Certainly not in the two weeks he'd been on Earth.

The credits from this contract alone would keep him comfortable for months before he'd have to accept another. He could, quite happily, return to his safe house on the Citadel and not emerge until he was fully rested, if he wished.

But Thane knew he could only stand to do so for a few days. He couldn't stand being idle for long, his body wouldn't allow for it. He'd only allow a week or so before moving on to his next target.

The sound of approaching footsteps pulled Thane from his thoughts. Looking up, he watched the nurse approach him, giving him a nervous smile. "You're still here," she commented, sounding mildly surprised. "Zara has been asking for you."

Under any other circumstances, Thane might have been surprised, but the way the small girl had desperately clung to him, he had a feeling he had been the only one to show her any amount of kindness in quite some time. "I wanted to know she would be okay," he said. "How is she?"

She sighed, running a hand through her greying hair. "I hate cases like this," she admitted wearily. "There's a lot of trauma, both mental and physical. What that poor thing has been through..." Her voice trailed off and she visibly shuddered.

Thane nodded in agreement. While he had only seen a few of the vids, he'd seen enough. "Will she be alright?"

"We're waiting for her blood test results to come back, and we've tried to give her something to help her sleep, but she's fighting us." She glanced over at him. "She seems to trust you, so we were wondering if you might be willing to come in and sit with her for a while. It might help her relax a bit."

He wasn't exactly sure what _he_ could do or say to the young girl; he had absolutely no experience with children. But if his presence would help ease her at all, he would gladly try. "Certainly."

She motioned for him to follow her, continuing to speak as she led him down the hall to Zara's room. "Physically, she'll be fine in a few days. She's severely malnourished and dehydrated, but we've given her fluids to alleviate that problem. We've treated the cuts and bruises and...tearing with medi-gel. But…"

"Mentally is a totally separate issue," he finished for her.

"Exactly." She stopped outside the door. "I'll give you guys a few minutes before I come back and give her something to help her sleep."

He thanked her, and with a nod of acknowledgment, she left. Thane hesitated before giving a light knock on the door.

The drell frowned when no answer came. Maybe she had fallen asleep after all?

As quietly as he could, he pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room was dark as he entered, no doubt in an attempt to relax Zara enough to sleep. In Thane's opinion, it was the wrong way to go about it. As much as this child had been through, he was certain that the last thing she wanted, or needed, was to be left alone in the dark.

He found a dimmer switch next to the door and turned it up enough so that the room was now immersed in a soft, warm glow. Turning towards the bed, his stomach in knots, he tried to figure out what to say to her.

Panic seized him when he realized it was empty.

Had she somehow managed to escape? Had one of Schuyler's men tracked her down and taken her? Immediately, he regretted leaving her in this place, with these people who couldn't protect her, couldn't keep an eye on her.

The sound of running water in the adjoining bathroom quickly banished his fears, and he chastised himself for jumping to conclusions. Sighing in relief, he wandered into the room and settled himself in the chair closest to the bed.

A few moments later, the bathroom door finally opened to reveal a freshly bathed, and clothed, Zara, as she tried to push her I.V. stand over the threshold. Thane stood immediately to help her.

The hospital staff had apparently managed to find some scrubs small enough to fit her, but they still hung loosely off of her frail body. Even in the dim light, Thane could see the pants were being held up by only a thin rope tied about her tiny waist.

Freshly clean, her face appeared a little less gaunt, but not by much. He could see that her hair was actually a soft chocolate brown now that the dirt and grime was no longer coating it, though it was still as dull as if it hadn't seen the light of day in some time. The cuts and bruises were already starting to fade thanks to the medi-gel.

Zara jumped slightly when she finally noticed him approach, though she didn't look frightened. Her expression was a mixture of surprise and gratitude. She almost looked...pleased. As if she hadn't expected to ever see him again.

"Hi," she said meekly, trying to tug the ill-fitting pants up higher on her hips as he helped her make her way over to the bed and lifted her onto it. She tucked her legs underneath her and self-consciously fisted her hands in her lap, not meeting his gaze. "I - I didn't think you'd still be here."

Neither did he, if he was totally honest with himself. He returned to his seat next to her bed. "I wanted to be sure that you were okay before I left."

"Oh." Her face seemed to fall with disappointment and she finally looked up at him. "I've never met an alien before. I've seen pictures of turians and asari when I was in school. But I've never seen one that looks like you."

Thane smiled. While he wasn't surprised that she had never seen a drell before, the fact that she already seemed to trust someone so completely... well, alien, to her did. It was touching, really. There was still so much prejudice against other species in the galaxy, it was nice to see. "I'm a drell," he told her. "There aren't many of my people left, so I'm not surprised you've never seen one of us before."

She frowned. "Why aren't there many of your people left?"

"Mostly overpopulation. Our homeworld, Rakhana, had few resources. Our soil began to fail from overuse and pollution. We were rescued by the hanar a century ago and they relocated many of us to Kahje."

"The giant jellyfish?"

Thane chuckled in amusement, leaning forward and resting his forearms on his knees. "I doubt that they would appreciate the comparison, but it is an accurate one."

Zara was thoughtful for a few moments before speaking again. "But your people are still dying?"

He nodded. "Kahje is ninety percent ocean, called the Encompassing, and rains every day. Because my people are native to an arid world, our lungs can't handle the moisture. Some of us develop Kepral's Syndrome."

"What's that?"

"It's a progressive disease that targets our lungs initially and affects our ability to take in oxygen. Eventually it begins to shut down other organs."

The young girl furrowed her brows. "So there's no cure?"

He shook his head. "Not at this time. The hanar have been working on developing a way for us to adapt to the humidity for a few years, but haven't had any success as of yet."

Zara's blue eyes met his, and he was surprised by the concern shown there. "Do you have it?"

Thane smiled at her curiosity. "No. I have been lucky thus far."

She nodded, and a comfortable silence settled between them. After a few moments, she glanced up at him. "I don't know what you were doing there, but thank you. For getting me away from those guys."

"You're very welcome, Zara," he replied honestly. "Is there anyone I can call for you? I'm sure your parents would like to know that you are safe."

Zara inhaled sharply and averted her gaze, but he didn't fail to notice the immediate pain that settled in her blue eyes before she turned away. Her mouth opened, but closed again as she tried to form the words, but a knock on the door cut her off from anything she might have said.

Lieutenant Bailey entered, offering Zara a tired smile, but Thane could see the haunted look on his face. He'd most likely just finished reviewing the vids. "Miss Zara, would you mind if I spoke to Mr. Krios in the hall for a moment?"

She glanced nervously over at Thane and he gave her a reassuring smile as he stood. "I'll be back," he promised. At her nod, he followed Bailey out into the hall, closing the door behind him.

"I've got a team going through that compound with a fine tooth comb for anything we can use to find those other kids," he informed him. When they were out of earshot, Bailey ran a shaky hand over his blonde hair. "I'm not too proud to say that what I just watched, was probably the worst thing I've ever seen."

"I have to agree." Thane nodded in agreement. He'd only managed to watch a few minutes of the footage, so he could only imagine what else was on those vids. "Were you able to locate her family?"

Bailey shook his head, disgusted. "The Reds killed them. Slit their throats...right in front of her." His voice was strangled. "The bastards recorded the whole thing. According to the vid timestamps, they've had her in their custody for nearly a year."

The drell swallowed hard and closed his eyes as he leaned against the wall. "What will happen to her now? Does she have any other family that could take her in?"

"No living grandparents, and both of her parents were only children, so no aunts or uncles." He sighed, shoving his hands into his pant's pockets. "With no one to claim her, the city will be forced to take responsibility for her."

Thane frowned. "What does that mean?"

"She'll be put into an orphanage or a foster home until one of two things happens. The first, best case scenario, would be that someone either comes forth and claims her, or someone adopts her. The second, isn't as pleasant but with children her age, is the most common outcome, is that she'll be held there until she's forced to leave when she turns eighteen," he explained, an edge of disgust in his voice.

"Is there something wrong with these places? Would she not be safe there if no one should claim her?" he asked.

Bailey sighed again. "From what I've seen, some of those places are no better than where she was when you found her.

A loud crash suddenly cut into their conversation, causing the two men to look up quickly to see a group of nurses race into Zara's room.

Reaching for his gun, Bailey rushed forward, with Thane on his heels.

They skidded to a halt when they reached the doorway. Zara was standing on the bed, trying desperately to rip the I.V. from her hand. What was even more surprising was the blue haze that surrounded her.

Zara Shepard was a biotic. How had he not noticed? Usually, he could _feel_ when he was around another biotic; the slight static-like buzzing sensation was a dead giveaway. But he'd felt _nothing_ when he'd touched her.

Thane stared at her in shock as some of the nurses tried to get close enough to calm her down, but a few of them were obviously keeping their distance. A few were even trying to leave the room completely. The cowards.

"Zara," Bailey said calmly, his hands held up in a placating manner as he approached. "I need you to calm down, sweetheart. No one's going to hurt you."

"You can't make me go!" she shouted, her voice shaky as tears ran down her face. "I won't go!" Her already incredibly blue eyes burned brighter with the light of her biotics as they met Thane's, her breathing ragged. "Please," she begged. "Please don't let them take me."

He didn't know what to do. So he moved forward slowly, and reached for her hands. After a moment's hesitation, she took them. The intense buzzing from her biotics sent an electrical current through him, but he forced himself to ignore it. He could feel how badly she was shaking with fear. "It's all right, Zara. No one is going to hurt you like that again. I swear it." He met her eyes steadily. "You can trust me."

She watched him, blue eyes wide with fear as she tried to slow her breathing, and finally, she nodded and sunk down onto her knees on the bed. The blue haze of her biotics dissipated slightly. "I-I don't know how to stop it."

The nurse he had spoken to earlier came up beside him, her face full of concern. "I'm going to give you something to help you relax, and that should calm you down enough for it to stop on its own," she said slowly. "Okay?"

Zara looked at Thane for reassurance and he nodded. "Okay," she agreed, her face still fearful as she held out her bleeding hand so the nurse could insert a clean I.V.

A touch on his arm had Thane turning to find Bailey beside him, cocking his head to the side to get him to follow him outside the room again.

"Don't go," Zara pleaded, her voice holding that edge of panic once again.

"I will be right outside the door," Thane assured her. "I won't close it, all right?"

She gave a hesitant nod and he followed Bailey out, keeping his promise to keep the door ajar.  
Concern was written all over the lieutenant's face, and Thane knew immediately that he wasn't going to like what he was about to hear. "This changes things, doesn't it?"

"You have no idea." Bailey blew out a heavy breath, but kept his voice low. "No orphanage or foster home will take in a biotic. I hate it, and the prejudice against them sucks balls, but that's the truth of it."

The drell ran his hands over his tired face. "So, what does this mean for her now?"

"She'll be sent in to BaAT, Biotic Acclimation and Temperance Training, on Jump Zero," he said. "I've heard horror stories about that place. I heard a few weeks ago a kid accidentally killed one of his turian instructors because the bastard broke another student's arm. There's talk about shutting the program down."

When Thane didn't respond, Bailey sighed. "Look, I'm not really authorized to do this, but that kid has no chance of making it on her own. She's been through too damn much already to be forced into a place like that."

"I couldn't agree more," he said honestly. "So, what are you proposing?"

Bailey gave him a knowing look.

The drell balked, eyes wide when he finally understood what he meant. " _I_ can't take her!" he exclaimed. "I don't know anything about raising a child, especially a human one."

The lieutenant placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know it's a lot to ask, but you _care_ about her. I know you do. And she actually trusts you, and that's no small thing from someone who's been through what she has."

Thane glanced through the window to find Zara staring back at him, eyes hopeful, and he knew immediately she heard everything they'd said. He let out an exasperated sigh. Bailey was right. The poor kid had been through too much, and she deserved somewhere she could call home.

But what did he know about raising a child? Nothing, that's what. He should be able to walk away from this place, guilt free, and return to the Citadel until his next assignment came in.

He couldn't do it. "Very well," he finally said, glancing back through the window. "I'll do it."

And for the first time since he'd found her in that disgusting compound, he saw her smile.


	3. Chapter 3

**First of all, I want to apologize for the insanely long wait on this chapter. I know it's been a little over a year, and I can't apologize enough for that. A lot has happened over the past year, on top of having major writer's block that I've been struggling to get through. Anyway, I hope you guys are still interested in this fic, because I'm excited to get back to work on it!**

 **Shout out to all of you who reviewed on the last chapter! Loverofthekiller, Kassy22, BlackAngelRose13, Mordinette, FieryRose00, Zulija, ZombieSinAngel119, Vorcha Girl, Breezy334, Siha vengence, tinejensen, and NightlyRowanTree!**

 **As always, a huge thank you to Mordinette for beta-reading and all of her help to try to get me through this writer's block. You are an amazing friend :D**

* * *

 **||Protégé||**

 **[Part One]**

 **Chapter Three**

* * *

Thane breathed a sigh of relief once Zara finally drifted off to sleep later that night. He was beyond exhausted, and he was eager to crawl into the cot the hospital staff had provided for him.

It had been a long evening; any time he had attempted to leave the room, no matter for how long, Zara would have another panic attack, her biotics outbursts scaring a bunch of the younger nurses attending to her. And while he understood their fear, it annoyed him just as much. Biotics in humans were rare, yes, but not unheard of, and Zara appeared to be especially strong, even more so than himself, but it was obvious to Thane that no one had ever attempted to teach her any kind of control over them.

He would have to teach her that control.

Thane stood, stretching his sore muscles. He wasn't used to being this inactive, and he desperately wanted to get out of this hospital and back to his normal routine and daily exercises. He also needed to check his messages for potential contracts, but that would have to wait until he had a moment alone; with the doctors and nurses constantly checking in on Zara, that wasn't likely to happen any time soon.

Just as he was about to climb onto the uncomfortable-looking cot, a light tap on the door stopped him.

Turning, Thane found Dr. Evans, Zara's attending doctor, waving to him from the hallway. He sighed, eyeing the cot longingly before reluctantly joining the physician in the hallway, moving as quietly as he could so as not to wake the girl.

Dr. Evans waited until the door was closed before speaking, her voice soft and laced with concern. "We just got Zara's blood test results in," she informed him. "Aside from the obvious physical and mental abuse, malnourishment, and a few other abnormalities, she's healthy. But we will need to keep her for at least a week."

Thane's brow rose in concern. "What sort of abnormalities?"

The doctor sighed, running a hand through her short, greying hair. "We found high levels if red sand in her system, as well as a drug called Omega-Enkephalin. With the amount we found, there's a very good chance her body is going to go through withdrawal."

Exhausted, Thane leaned his back against the wall, crossing his arms across his chest. "I am familiar with red sand and its effects on biotics. However, I have never heard of this... Omega-Enkephalin."

Evans nodded. "We're only just learning of it ourselves," she admitted. "There's very little information about it other than it was developed only a few years ago by an organization that was once a branch of the Alliance, but has since cut ties."

"And its purpose? Do we know what sort of long-lasting effects it could have on the child?"

"It's a biotic suppressant," Evans explained, hugging her clipboard against her chest. "Unfortunately, we're still unclear on what kind of longer problems she could face. But," she sighed tiredly, "as with other drug addictions, my guess would be emotional instability, mood swings, headaches. There's really no way to tell right now what kind of impact it could have on her biotics, if any at all. Though, from her displays of power earlier, it's safe to say it hasn't diminished her abilities at all."

Thane bowed his head in thought. The amount of problems just kept piling up. He'd expected there to be emotional trauma with the abuse she'd endured while in Schuyler's compound. Now the addition of possible withdrawals and any other complications she might have...

How was he possibly going to help her? Killing was the only skill he possessed. Living with a hired hitman was no life for a child. He couldn't do this...

"I respect what you're doing," the doctor informed him, interrupting his thoughts. She'd lowered her voice, despite the fact that the hallway was nearly deserted. "Bailey told me you've agreed to take responsibility for her once we're able to discharge her. That's the reason I'm coming to you with this information." She flashed him a kind smile. "Most people would turn her away, and you have no ties to this child."

Thane inhaled sharply; that had been the last thing he'd expected. "Truthfully, Dr. Evans, I do not believe if my presence in her life will help her. I am not exactly what you would call a family man; I know nothing of caring for a child, let alone a human one who has been through what she has."

Evans smiled, placing a gentle, reassuring hand on the drell's shoulder. "That is exactly what all first time parent's fear: doing something wrong. You're already on the right track."

"I suppose you make a fair point." Thane chuckled.

"You care about her, that much is clear. You wouldn't have brought her in otherwise. You'll do fine. But if it helps, I'll send you some extranet sites that should help."

He nodded. "You have my thanks, Dr. Evans."

Smiling, the doctor nodded kindly before giving his shoulder another pat. "Go get some sleep. You look like you need it."

With that, the doctor bid him a goodnight before departing, leaving him alone with his tremulous thoughts.

Thane rubbed a tired hand over his face, and with a heavy sigh, he made his way back to Zara's room. He was pleased to find her still deeply asleep, thanks to the medication the nurses had given her, with a peaceful expression on her face. Closing the door softly behind him, the drell shrugged off his coat and placed it on the back of the chair he had vacated earlier.

He watched her sleep for a few moments before his thoughts turned cloudy again as he slipped beneath the rough sheet of his cot. He was in over his head, that much was clear. A child deserved parents who loved them and could care for them. The only life he could provide for Zara would be one that involved constant moving around and danger around every corner.

What if this decision to take care of her would rid her of her one possibility to find a loving, happy home? With parents who could give her the support she would need?

And yet, Bailey's earlier words kept swimming in his mind; most potential parents would overlook a child with biotics abilities. The idea of Zara sitting in an orphanage, alone and afraid, made Thane's blood run cold. Then they would ship her off to Jump Zero regardless of her wishes. She deserved better than that.

He couldn't allow that. Zara had been through enough already.

What he _could_ offer her was survival. Knowledge. He could teach her how to protect herself, to hone her skills and control over her biotics. He could give her, and himself, the companionship they both so desperately needed.

There were other factors he needed to consider as well. She would need a proper education. He'd have to purchase an omni-tool and an online tutor, as well as suitable educational programs.

He _could_ do this. He _would_ do this. He would just need help getting started.

Luckily, Thane knew just where to get that help.

* * *

A week later, Thane found himself outside a quaint brownstone townhouse in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Zara shuffling uncomfortably beside him.

They had been standing on the sidewalk for about fifteen minutes while the young girl mentally prepared herself to enter what was once her childhood home.

Thane quickly began to wonder if he'd made the right decision in bringing her here. He wasn't certain if this would help or hinder her healing process, but thought he would at least offer her the chance to take anything with her of sentimental value.

Closure was, unfortunately, not something he could offer her, but perhaps something to remind her of home could.

Their shuttle to the Citadel was scheduled to leave in a few hours. Time was a factor, but he was not about to rush her. There would always be later departures. However, it was getting late and the temperature was dropping steadily and Thane could smell the threat of snow in the air, and that wouldn't do either of them any good.

Beside him, Zara took in a shuddering breath, shifting closer to him for comfort, and Thane could feel her shivering. He had to get her out of the cold and into warmer clothes. All she had at the moment were the oversized, short-sleeved, and paper-thin scrubs the hospital staff had given her.

Shrugging off his jacket, he carefully draped it over the girl's shoulders. "You do not have to do this if you do not wish, Zara," he insisted. "I only thought it would bring you some comfort to take a few items from home. But I will not force you to go in."

Zara nodded, giving him a thin-lipped smile as she took a few tentative steps toward the house, snow crunching underneath her feet.

Thane placed a hand on her shoulder. "Let me go in first."

The house had been abandoned for over a year, and while his omni-tool detected no heat signatures behind the walls, who knew what kind of traps could be waiting inside the house.

Keeping his hand on his gun, Thane gestured for Zara to follow him, thankful she didn't try to question him. "Stay close."

The front door creaked open ominously as Thane slowly pushed it open, keeping his back pressed to the brick before slowly shifting enough to peer inside.

The place had been ransacked. Graffiti on the walls, furniture ripped apart, turned over on their sides, desk drawers pulled out, their contents strewn and discarded on the floor without care. After making sure the entire lower level was secure, he moved back to Zara's position and gestured for her to come inside.

He heard her sharp intake of breath, her blue eyes surveying the damage to what had once been her living room, a deep crease between her eyebrows.

"Do you want to keep going?" he asked, keeping his voice low and calming. He knew seeing her home in shambles wouldn't be easy on her.

After a brief moment of hesitation, Zara nodded. "Do... do you think I could look around? By myself?"

He thought for a moment. "Of course. But stay down here for now until I've had a chance to secure the top floor. Understood?"

She didn't respond. Instead, she slowly moved forward, running her fingers along the torn wallpaper. He watched her disappear into the dining room, before heading upstairs.

The upper level contained two small bedrooms, an office, and a bathroom. None of them had been spared from the destruction. Zara's old room wasn't hard to distinguish from her parents; the powder pink walls, dust-covered white gauzy curtains, and dozens of stuffed animals littered on the unmade bed and floor a dead giveaway.

Thane only looked inside long enough to make sure no traps or anything had been set before moving on. He would not invade what had once been her sanctuary.

The office was small, but filled with filing cabinets, a desk with a cracked monitor, and a chair. Bookcases filled from top to bottom with what appeared to be medical and science textbooks. Papers and several of the books were littered across the floor. Shaking his head, Thane was about to leave the room, when he felt something connect with the bottom of his boot.

Glancing down, he found a black journal, turned upside down. He bent to pick it up, when the caption caught his interest:

 _ **October 14th**_ _ **\- 2165 First O.E. Injection Administered**_

Curious, Thane continued to read.

 _O.E. seems to have desired effect, albeit temporarily. Lasted_ _about six hours before wearing off. Administered while Zara was sleeping. Reports complaints of nausea and headaches. Unclear if this is a result of O.E. Will continue to monitor over the next few weeks, and continue to adjust accordingly._

Thane frowned, flipping through to the next entry.

 _ **November 3rd, 2165 - Biotic improvements, increased side effects**_

 _Adjusted dosage of O.E. The biotics are stable for now, Zara only flares when stressed or upset. Says headaches and nausea have worsened. Need to find the correct balance._

 _No way am I letting the Alliance take my daughter from me._

O.E. - that had to be the Omega-Enkephalin Dr. Evans had found in Zara's system. Thane's stomach lurched. Zara's own father had been administering that drug to her to suppress the girl's biotics so that the Alliance wouldn't take her away.

If Shepard had been administering the drug while Zara had been fast asleep, that meant he had to have kept the drug in the house. Thane surveyed the room, until his eye fastened on a small cooling unit with a keypad hidden underneath the desk, the door ajar. A closer look revealed gouges and scuff marks around the door's edges; someone had crudely busted it open and taken whatever contents had been inside.

 _The Reds,_ the drell thought acidly. _They must have found the drug while going through this place, and they must have continued giving it to Zara in addition to the Red Sand._

Gritting his teeth, Thane flipped through the pages until he found the later entries.

 _ **January 21st, 2166 - Funding**_

 _Cerberus stopped funding my O.E. project months ago. Had to take a mortgage out on the house that I can't make the payments for. I've had to borrow the money just to keep my family's heads above water. I have no money to make those repayments either._

 _The current formula has caused vomiting and migraines in Zara, and I've been forced to stop all treatment. The Alliance is going to find out about her, and she'll be taken from us._

 _I can't protect my family. I'm so sorry._

Zara's own father had worked for Cerberus. Thane knew exactly what Cerberus was and what they stood for. Their humanity-first mentality was well known across the galaxy.

Cerberus and Garrett Shepard were responsible for what had happened to his family. He'd borrowed money from the Reds that he couldn't pay back, so Schuyler killed him and his wife, keeping their daughter as collateral.

Fury pulsed through the drell's veins, but the sound of something shattering from downstairs tore him from his rage. He quickly tucked the journal into a pocket in his coat and raced downstairs.

"Zara?" Thane called, bounding down the stairs two at a time to reach her.

He found her in the kitchen, kneeling on the floor in the shards of glass. He could see her shaking from where he stood. Slowly, he made his way over to her and crouched down beside her, gazing down at what she was looking at. Whatever it was, it was covered in mold and smelled sickeningly sweet. "Are you all right?"

Zara slowly held up her hands so Thane could see the pieces of glass embedded in her skin, thin trails of blood trickling over her palms.

With a sigh, Thane stood, walking around to the kitchen counters and searching the drawers for a towel to wrap her hands in. He lucked out, finding a first aid kit underneath the kitchen sink. Inside, he found a bottle of disinfectant, tweezers, and bandages. He sent a silent thank you to Arashu before heading back to her. "Let me see your hands."

Without a word, Zara complied, holding her small hands out for him to clean, startling blue eyes still focused on the moldy lump on the floor. "I want to leave."

Thane glanced up at her, but she refused to meet his gaze. "We still need to pack some of your belongings, at least some warmer clothes for now. We can get new ones when we get to the Citadel. I think we should also bring some food that you will eat with us. There's not much in the way of human food available on the Citadel."

She nodded her understanding as she waited for Thane to finish with her hands.

Once he was done, Thane carefully wrapped her scraped hands and helped her to her feet, and followed her up the stairs to her bedroom. Zara stood in the doorway a few moments before finally stepping into the room, back stiff and rigid as she started picking out clothes and other items she would need. He helped her fold them neatly and stuffed them into a duffle bag she found in her closet, making sure to set aside warmer clothes to change into.

Thane left her to change and waited for her downstairs, his mind still reeling from what he'd read in Garrett Shepard's journal. He knew that the man's intentions had probably been noble ones; he had wanted to protect his family and keep his daughter out of the hands of the Alliance, who would no doubt turn her into their weapon. But testing a new drug on his own daughter… Thane shook his head. The man had to have been truly desperate.

The sound of Zara coming back downstairs pulled him out of his thoughts. She'd changed into a sweater and a pair of dark jeans, both of which she had obviously outgrown, but the material still hung loosely on her undernourished body. At least she would be warm.

She handed him back his coat, which he gladly accepted once she assured him she was warm enough. "Ready."

Nodding, Thane glanced down at his omni-tool. They still had time to stop somewhere to buy some food for her. He'd have to stock up in the event the Citadel had nothing to offer her.

Taking the bag from her, the drell shifted it over his shoulder as they made their way to the front entrance once more, but Zara paused as he opened the door, eyeing something on the floor. "Wait."

Bending down, Zara picked up the item that had caught her attention and turned it over in her hands. It was a picture frame, the glass splintered and cracked as if it had been stepped on. She bit her lip, turning the item over, and pried the back off. She pulled the photo out, gazing at it sadly before letting the frame fall back to the floor. She gingerly grazed her fingers over the picture before taking a deep breath and joining him at the door, unzipping the duffel bag enough to slide her treasure safely inside.

"Okay, now we can go."


	4. Chapter 4

Look! It didn't take a year for me to update! Miracles _do_ happen, it seems! Thank you guys for being so patient with me - you have no idea how much I appreciate that. And thank you guys for sticking with me; I know I'm literally like the slowest writer in the world. Special thank you to those of you who reviewed last chapter: Mordinette, 122, NightlyRowanTree, Sirius Ordo, goukagin, Catcop, BlackAngelRose13, Sihaforlife, LoveroftheKiller, Seele Zeit, and DustieRhoades! You are all amazing and I love you to bits!

Thank you so much to Mordinette for being the world's best beta, who goes above and beyond every single time.

* * *

||Protégé||

 **[Part One]**

Chapter Four

* * *

Lieutenant Bailey was full of surprises, and Thane couldn't have been more grateful.

He'd been waiting for them at the spaceport with the necessary travel documentation that would allow Thane to travel with Zara off planet. This made the entire journey from Earth to Citadel space much easier to handle, forestalling authorities from questioning why a drell was traveling alone with a human child.

While Zara had been in the hospital, the few times she'd been stable enough to allow him to leave (or had been too exhausted to fight him), Bailey had helped the drell gain temporary custody of the girl, which would make Thane's life much easier upon reaching the space station. He'd even contacted the Citadel's human ambassador to inform him of the unorthodox last thing either of them needed was for Thane to be accused of kidnapping a human for slave trade.

The actual journey had so far been uneventful. Mostly. Zara spent the majority of the trip staring wide-eyed out the ship's window, gazing at the stars as they zoomed past. She managed to sleep, off and on, with her head rested against his shoulder, causing quite a few inquisitive glances to be thrown his way. Thane did his best to ignore them, instead focusing his time on keeping an eye on her, which wasn't difficult to do considering she refused to let him leave her side for more than a few minutes at a time. If he'd gotten held up in the restroom or food lines, she would come searching for him, on the verge of a panic attack.

Thane slept when _she_ slept. Or he attempted to. He spent the hours studying what he could on the extranet about human children and researching what items he could and could not find on the Citadel. Luckily, trade was slowly increasing between the space station and Earth, so getting stuff she would need wouldn't be impossible.

A ping from his omni-tool interrupted his browsing, and Thane winced internally the moment the sender's name was displayed.

Irikah.

 _[Are you all right? You were due back days ago and were supposed to let me know you made it back safely.]_

Thane felt a pang of guilt as he read his ex-lover's message. He'd meant to message her once the job was finished to let her know he was okay. They'd separated shortly before he'd left for Earth. She'd been in the process of moving her belongings out when he'd left. His job had been a major strain on their relationship, and Irikah's constant stress and worry about his safety had been too much for her in the end. It still stung; he cared about her deeply, but he couldn't really blame her for not wanting to be a part of this life, and he couldn't ask that of her.

 _[On the ship back to the Citadel now. ETA five hours. I apologize for not keeping in touch. Had some unexpected complications that delayed me.]_ He paused a moment before sending the next one, wondering if he was overstepping boundaries. _[Are you well?]_

Thane felt like an eternity passed before she responded. He'd just about given up when his omni-tool chimed again. _[It's not easy. But I am managing. I got the last of my stuff out of the apartment yesterday. I'm back on Kahje now and I'm staying with my sister. I just wanted to make sure you were safe.]_

 _[Give your family my best. And for the record, I am sorry. I did not want things to end this way.]_ He'd said the same thing to her many times before in person, but he couldn't stop himself from repeating the sentiment regardless. Irikah was an incredible woman, and she deserved a far better life than what he could ever offer her.

 _[You can't apologize for who you are, Thane. Things happen for a reason. May Arashu keep you safe.]_

Sighing, Thane shut down his omni-tool and closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the seat. He felt like he hadn't slept in days, and his entire body was exhausted. The drell couldn't wait to finally sleep in his own bed for a few days before he had to go out on his next mission.

What would he do with Zara when he was away? He would have to be careful of the contracts he accepted while she was in his care. He certainly wouldn't be able to take extended trips anymore. He had few friends on the Citadel, or anywhere else for that matter, that he trusted enough to look in on her for him. Had he and Irikah been able to work through their problems, he was certain she would have. But he and Zara were both slow to trust, so finding someone would be difficult.

He had no other choice than to only accept jobs on the Citadel, and that would lower his clientele considerably, which in turn would affect his income.

Thane would have to get a job.

The problem was, he had no other skills other than contract assassinations. He was built for killing; had been trained to do so from childhood. He'd never _had_ to do anything else. But now he had another life on his hands that' he'd have to support. What else _could_ he do?

Zara suddenly whimpered in her sleep, shifting away from him and tucking herself against the window as much as she could. She made that horrible, strangled sound again, making Thane's blood run cold. Was this just a nightmare? Or was this something being brought on by the withdrawals? Thankfully, the part of the ship they had been staying in was mostly deserted, and the few people that were there seemed intent to ignore them.

He could feel her shaking as he gently took her hand and tried to coax her awake. The last thing he wanted to do was startle her into a full meltdown. "Zara."

She jerked awake, blue eyes wide with terror as she tried to catch her breath, which was ragged and increasing rapidly. Her grip tightened on his hand as she fought to get control over herself again.

With his free hand, Thane hesitantly rubbed her back in small, reassuring circles. "Slow, deep breaths," he murmured softly, ignoring the few heads that had turned in their direction. "You're alright. You're safe."

She nodded, a little too quickly to be convincing. Thane reached down into her bag, grabbed her bottled water that she had stashed inside and handed it to her. "Drink this."

Zara accepted it eagerly, taking down several gulps before he had to warn her to slow down. When she was done, she wiped a hand over her trembling lips. "I'm sorry."

Thane's chest tightened. Slowly, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side. It felt awkward and forced, but when she smiled and curled into his side once again, he let himself relax.

They sat in silence for a while, gazing out the window. When she spoke again, her voice was barely audible as sleep began to pull her under once more. "Are there many humans on the Citadel? Kids my age?"

"Not a lot," he admitted. "More trickle in every day, but mostly just ambassadors or merchants."

She made a noncommittal sound, and soon after she was asleep again, much to Thane's relief. Reaching up, he turned the lights off overhead and leaned his head back on the seat in hopes of getting some much needed rest himself.

* * *

Thane felt himself biting back a smile as he and Zara exited the ship onto the Citadel. Her eyes were wide and her mouth gaped open in awe. She kept close to his side as they pushed through the crowds of people.

Bailey had done a thorough job, and as promised, Thane was met with minimal resistance from C-Sec. After only an hour of checking the paperwork, they allowed Zara into his care.

"This place is huge," she breathed as they stepped out of the Zakera Ward. She stopped, gazing around the wide, open area. "There's trees here."

Chuckling, the drell led her towards the transport station and hailed for a cab. "I'll take you on a proper tour once you're settled in, I promise."

Once the taxi arrived, Thane set the destination to his apartment in the Bachjret Ward. Zara pressed herself against the window, trying to see as much of the Citadel as she could from her limited vantage point.

Thane watched her, fighting back a grin, because _she_ was actually smiling. This was the most active and relaxed he'd ever seen her, and he found himself glad for the change. She'd been through so much, and had every reason to hate the universe and what it had to offer, and yet… and yet she found some joy and excitement in her new surroundings.

He couldn't wait to show her around.

* * *

It took only fifteen minutes to reach his apartment, and luckily it was late enough that there wasn't much foot traffic. Zara stayed pressed to his side, as usual, until they were safely inside.

"It's not much," Thane said lamely, setting their bags down next to the couch. The apartment wasn't large. Only a one bedroom unit. He'd taken this particular place because it had few windows. The few it did have, he'd blacked out and covered in thick curtains and paint. The walls were a basic beige, and held no pictures or any other decorations or ornamentation. He had the essentials to get by; a bed, a couch, a few kitchen appliances. He didn't even have a vid screen, and very little in the way of entertainment. He would have to fix that. "It'll have to do for now until I can get on the waiting list for a bigger place."

Zara nodded, looking around the living area, hands clutched behind her back. She was chewing on her bottom lip and anxiously rocking on the balls of her feet. "Where do I sleep?"

"There's only one bedroom, but the couch unfolds into a bed. I can give you my room—"

The girl shook her head, blue eyes gazing at him in wonder. "You saved me, and you're giving me a place to stay," she stated matter-of-factly. "I am not taking your bed, too. I'll take the couch."

"Zara…"

"I spent the last year sleeping on a hard, cold floor," " she stated bluntly. "A sofa bed is a massive upgrade compared to that."

Closing his eyes, Thane bowed his head forward in acceptance. "Of course. I apologize." He sighed. "I only want to assure that you're comfortable."

She nodded, giving him a small smile as she shifted uncomfortably on her feet.

The drell cleared his throat, then walked over to a cabinet he used to house his spare gun parts to clear out space for her to put her stuff in. "You can put your belongings in here. Feel free to make yourself at home. I'm just going to go put my stuff away. Just call out if you need me."

He stood there for a few moments, watching as she stood awkwardly before she finally grabbed her bag and started pulling out what little she had brought with her. Satisfied that she was making herself at home, Thane smiled and headed into his bedroom.

* * *

Thankfully, that night was mostly uneventful. Mostly. She'd woken up a few times during the night due to nightmares, but was able to go back to sleep shortly after he'd calmed her down. The two of them were exhausted after the long trip, and Zara had passed out shortly after dinner. They'd ordered in; well, _he_ had - Zara had opted to snack on some of the food that they'd picked up for their trip before leaving Earth. Something she called PB and J. Whatever that was. To Thane, it looked like brown and purple sludge stuck between two slices of bread.

He was in the process of making his morning tea when Zara stirred. He cursed under his breath, worried he'd somehow woken her up.

She sat up, rubbing sleep from her eyes, and looked around, dazed. Her gaze finally settled on him, standing silent and unmoving in the kitchen, with mug half raised in mid-sip, and her blue eyes seemed to focus. "Morning," she said meekly, pulling the blanket tighter around her.

"Good morning, Zara," he greeted her, blowing slightly on the hot beverage before taking a sip. "I apologize if I woke you."

"Not your fault," she informed him, standing and shuffling her way over to the counter where she'd stashed some of her foodstuffs, movements made stiff and awkward because of the blanket wrapped around her. It made Thane chuckle. "I'm sort of a light sleeper… now."

Thane nodded, feeling awkward as he watched her pull a small foil packet out of a blue box labeled Pop Tarts, and made her way over to the kitchen table. She somehow managed to do everything without losing her blanket cocoon. "Are you cold? I can adjust the temperature… "

Zara took a bite of her breakfast, shaking her head as she wiped crumbs from her lips. "I'm usually only cold when I first wake up in the morning. The biotics keep me pretty warm most of the time."

Taking her at her word, he joined her at the table as she ate. Her eyes seemed to scan the apartment, familiarizing herself with her surroundings. A frown slowly creased her brow. "So you live here alone? You're not married?"

He shook his head, taking another sip of his tea, grimacing at the now lukewarm temperature. "No, not married," he explained, wrapping his hands around his mug. "I was in a relationship, but we decided to part ways a few weeks ago, so she moved out."

They finished the rest of the breakfast in silence. After setting his mug in the sink, Thane turned to her, resting his hands on the counter. "I thought, perhaps, if you were feeling up to it, that I would show you around the Presidium and the Commons today."

Zara's young face broke out into a wide smile and she nodded eagerly, crumpling up the empty food package. Finally relinquishing the comfort of her blanket, she tossed the remnants into the trash can and went to get ready.

Grinning, Thane folded her blanket and placed it back onto the couch. _Maybe this wasn't going to be so hard after all._

* * *

A few hours later, they found themselves parked in Apollo's Café for lunch, one of the few places on the Citadel that had a few human dishes. But to Thane's surprise, Zara actually opted to try something new - an asari dish that he couldn't recall the name of. When he asked her why she'd chosen that particular item, she raised an eyebrow and stared at him as if the answer was the most obvious one in the world.

"Because it's purple."

He chuckled at that, holding his hands up as if in surrender. "Right. Of course. My apologies."

So far they had toured most of the Presidium and the tower, but he'd decided to keep her away from most of the lower wards, where some of the more unsavory residents flocked toward Flux and Chora's Den. He planned to take her to the Sunset Strip next as a surprise.

Despite the unorthodox appearance of her food, Zara seemed to enjoy the asari dish, and finished well before he did. She was already enjoying her new omni-tool that he'd purchased for her, and he caught her obsessively playing with it whenever they had a free minute.

"Keep in mind that that is not just going to be for recreational use," he stated, pointing his fork at the 'tool now attached to her wrist. "Once we get some apps installed on there, your work must be completed first. Just because you're not _in_ school, doesn't mean we're going to let you miss out on the proper education you deserve."

Zara nodded, shutting down the omni-tool, and rested her arms on the table. "I'm okay with that," she agreed. "I'll do whatever you need me to. I owe you for letting me stay with you."

He shook his head. "You don't owe me anything, Zara. You owe it to _yourself_ to better your life and broaden your knowledge of the universe. But don't worry," he said, chuckling as the bridge of her nose wrinkled, "we'll find things you're interested in and focus on those as well. I believe it was a human polymath, Leonardo da Vinci, who said, 'Study without the desire spoils the memory, and it retains nothing that it takes in.'"

She bit back a grin, lifting a shoulder. "I guess it would be a bad time to say I have no idea what a polymath is."

Thane chuckled. "Perhaps we'll start with that, then."

* * *

The arcade had been a raging success with Zara, though she had seemed uncertain at first; almost as if the day had been too much and she wasn't quite sure she deserved to have fun. But once he'd convinced her to try out some of the games, she'd had a blast.

He'd never seen her openly smile as much as while they were there. She'd even met a few asari and salarian children who'd invited to teach her how to work a few of the machines she'd been eyeballing but too afraid to approach at first.

Thane had even had a nice chat with one of the salarian children's mother. Her son was only a year or two younger than Zara, and they seemed to hit it off quite well. He decided to do a little background checking into the family - thinking perhaps they might be a good match for someone to look in on her if he had to go off station.

Thane awoke with a start later that night, his eyes immediately scanning the dark room for any signs of danger as he tried to pinpoint what had pulled him from his slumber. Not that he had ever been a heavy sleeper; he had trained for years to stay alert and aware of his surroundings, even in sleep.

He waited, listening intently until he heard the sound again. Ah. There it was. It was a soft, nearly inaudible sound that he couldn't quite decipher.

Reaching to his bedside table, he grabbed his pistol, throwing the covers off of him, and quietly crept towards his bedroom door. He had only just arrived back on the Citadel with Zara, less than twenty-four hours ago. Had one of Schuyler's men followed them here? Unlikely; the drell had stayed extra vigilant to ensure her safety during their travel. Forgoing sleep had been a small price to pay to keep the girl comfortable.

Hearing the sound again, he shook his head to rid himself of the memory. He recognized the sound now, and he felt a pang of sorrow wash over him.

Setting the pistol on the table, he brought up his omni-tool to turn the lights on enough to see. There, he found Zara, curled up on the floor, sobbing. Her hands tugged at locks of hair as she rocked back and forth. Her biotics flared slightly, washing the dim room in a soft, blue glow.

He approached her slowly, not wanting to startle the young girl. As he neared, he noticed small chunks of chocolate brown hair littering the floor around her. Thane could see spots of blood dotting her scalp from where she had yanked the strands out.

Even in the dim light, he could see that she was shaking violently. Reaching behind her, he grabbed her blanket and folded it over her shoulders before kneeling in front of her, and gently gripped her wrists. "Zara," he whispered, "you must stop this."

Zara wouldn't meet his gaze and continued rocking, eyes cast downward and breathing harsh. Her mouth opened and closed quickly, as if trying to speak, but not quite finding the words.

He finally managed to loosen her grip on her hair and held her hands tightly in his. "Zara," he said evenly. "What happened?"

The drell watched as her bottom lip trembled. "B-bad dream." She panted, voice breaking with fear. "I… I was back in that horrible place."

Her eyes finally met his then, and before he could speak, she launched herself into his arms, nearly knocking him over in the process. "I was so scared," she whimpered into his chest.

Thane froze, unsure of what to do at first. He wasn't used to physical contact. After a moment's hesitation, he loosely wrapped his arms around her small frame, feeling her instantly tighten her hold on him.

"They can't hurt you anymore, Zara," he soothed, running a gentle hand over her hair. "You're safe here. Everything is going to be fine. This I swear to you."

Zara finally pulled back slightly, a ghost of a smile touching her lips before hugging him again. "Thank you."

He patted her on the back before releasing his hold. "Come on, let's go get you cleaned up."


End file.
